Compare the2026 Audi A6 AllroadVS 2026 Lincoln Nautilus

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The A6 Allroad’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Nautilus doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the A6 Allroad’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Nautilus doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the A6 Allroad Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Audi A6 Allroad’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Lincoln Nautilus does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the A6 Allroad and the Nautilus have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, around view monitors, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi A6 Allroad is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

	A6 Allroad	Nautilus
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	263/331 lbs.	434/440 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Audi A6 Allroad is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

	A6 Allroad	Nautilus
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	135	169
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	59 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the A6 Allroad, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 8% less likely to roll over than the Nautilus, which received a four-star rating.

Warranty

The A6 Allroad’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Nautilus’ (12 vs. 5 years).

Audi pays for scheduled maintenance on the A6 Allroad for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Audi will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Lincoln doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Nautilus. (Lincoln offers free mainteance on some Nautilus models.)

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the A6 Allroad’s reliability 26 points higher than the Nautilus.

Engine

The A6 Allroad’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 85 more horsepower (335 vs. 250) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 280) than the Nautilus’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The A6 Allroad’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 50 more horsepower (335 vs. 285) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 295) than the Nautilus’ optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi A6 Allroad is faster than the Lincoln Nautilus:

	A6 Allroad	Nautilus turbo 4 cyl.	Nautilus 4 cyl. hybrid gas
Zero to 60 MPH	5.2 sec	7.3 sec	6.6 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	13.3 sec	19.3 sec	15.2 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	5.8 sec	7.8 sec	6.8 sec
Quarter Mile	13.8 sec	15.5 sec	14.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	102 MPH	90 MPH	99 MPH
Top Speed	129 MPH	126 MPH	126 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A6 Allroad gets better fuel mileage than the Nautilus 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder 8-speed Auto (21 city/30 hwy vs. 21 city/29 hwy).

Transmission

The A6 Allroad offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Nautilus doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The A6 Allroad’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Nautilus doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A6 Allroad’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Nautilus:

	A6 Allroad	Nautilus
Front Rotors	14.7 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.6 inches

The A6 Allroad’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Nautilus are solid, not vented.

The A6 Allroad stops much shorter than the Nautilus:

	A6 Allroad	Nautilus
70 to 0 MPH	172 feet	179 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The A6 Allroad’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Nautilus’ standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 Allroad has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Nautilus.

Suspension and Handling

The front and rear suspension of the A6 Allroad uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Nautilus, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The A6 Allroad has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The A6 Allroad’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The A6 Allroad Prestige handles at .83 G’s, while the Nautilus Black Label pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The A6 Allroad Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the Nautilus Black Label (26.5 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

Chassis

The A6 Allroad is 9.3 inches shorter in height than the Nautilus, making the A6 Allroad much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the A6 Allroad. The Nautilus doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the A6 Allroad is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Nautilus. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Nautilus, the A6 Allroad Prestige has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The A6 Allroad Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The A6 Allroad’s standard Audi Advanced Key allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Intelligent Access standard on the Nautilus doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A6 Allroad to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Nautilus doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A6 Allroad has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Nautilus doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the A6 Allroad to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Nautilus doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The A6 Allroad Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Nautilus’ automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi A6 Allroad, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Lincoln Nautilus isn't recommended.

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